Technical Field
Exploration for and production of hydrocarbons from subterranean formations using downhole well tools and sensors.
Background Art
In hydrocarbon exploration and production operations, boreholes are drilled into the earth to depths where high pressure and high temperature conditions exist. Various tools and devices are used to measure various properties and conditions in the bore and include sensors for determining temperature, pressure and the presence of hydrocarbons.
Various downhole environmental influences, such as heat and pressure, put significant stress on components of exploration and/or production tools. For example, downhole temperatures may exceed the maximum temperature capacity of some components of the tools. In addition, sensors and other electronics units may generate heat. Such heat generated by the tools and/or the formation pose a significant risk of overheating. Accordingly, cooling techniques can be used to control the temperature of components in downhole tools to reduce or prevent degradation or deformation which could lead to tool failure and/or reduce the effective operating life and accuracy of the components.